HLN and Jodi Arias: Stirring up the public’s taste for blood12 comments

I remember when HLN was sort of a trimmed-down version of CNN. They would run most of the stories, albeit much shortened versions of them, and they’d repeat or update their programming in half-hour slots. They never covered anything in depth, but their mere existence was to provide a broadcast equivalent of USA Today, America’s cartoon newspaper. As a straight print journalist, I won’t say those were HLN’s best days, but, well… OK, those were HLN’s best days. USA Today sucks, the original HLN sucks, and their present iterations all suck. And in greater measure than in the past.

On another front, we had CourtTV, an innovation that started more as a smaller-scale C-SPAN network. Now, CourtTV has devolved into TruTV, which broadcasts the so-called reality shows over and over again ad nauseum, and barely covers any live news. And a new HLN was born as well, utilizing the most sensational hosts, discussing the most sensational topics, and basically raking in the dough by playing to people’s collective fear, hatred, and need to feel superior to someone in the public spotlight.

Trials were covered, and fairly impartially if I recall, by CourtTV, which is now obsolete, but their anchors weren’t “star personalities” of television-land, they weren’t psychological analysts with BIG problems of their own, and they didn’t appear on Dancing With The Stars. In fact, since the Nancy Grace nip-slip on DWTS, those initials now mean “Dancing With Tits Showing.”

But Nancy Grace isn’t the only talking fat-head leading the rabble. Vinnie Politan, a former prosecutor in Bergen County, NJ, is equally snarky and distasteful, and between the two of them, they make a good duo in what seems like a national campaign of blood lust. Adding fuel to the fire is Joey Jackson, who sounds almost exactly like Jerry Lewis. In character. And sometimes Jackson makes less sense than Jerry Lewis as well.

During the trial I’ve watched the WPTV stream, without any commentary whatsoever, and that’s what I want to hear. I want to be able to judge the case for myself without hearing what these idiots have to say on commercial television, cable or otherwise. It’s only now, that the trial is over, that I click over to HLN’s stream to see what the less-educated “Joe the Plumber” on the street is watching. And it’s sad.

In the Arias case, there are mitigating factors. Not all eight reasons Jennifer Wilmott put forward. The fact that Arias was 27 when she killed Alexander is irrelevant. The fact that she had and still has dissociative personality disorder, however, is crucial information, and that must be taken into account by the jury, because it exacerbated her vulnerability. In fact, it created and broadcast her vulnerability to any man who came close enough to her to sense it.

Travis Alexander came close enough to sense it. He started overstepping her boundaries from the moment they met, because her vulnerability gave way to his predatory instinct. Whereas his various Mormon female friends may have thought he was a virgin, ALL of his male friends, Mormon or not, knew Travis was a pussy-hound.

This too is a mitigating factor in Jodi Arias’ favor. As is her feeling of low self-worth. She doesn’t project that in the courtroom or in her many TV interviews, but instead she portrays herself as she wishes she were: stable, ruminative, confident, and professional. It’s part of her untreated mental illness.

It would be nice if she were given the services of a psychiatrist, or a team of psychiatrists while in prison; she might actually come out – not unscathed – but certainly not as scarred as she is now, and somewhat healed. Her psychological wounds are as gaping as Travis Alexander’s neck wound. Some people have failed to appreciate that because they’re faced with shit like HLN’s talking fat-heads, but with the blatantly sensational imagery so prominently and almost joyfully featured on their website.

HLN’s credibility took a big hit when Casey Anthony was judged not guilty, and they’re setting themselves up for another hit by putting all their chips on a death penalty verdict. Personally, I hope they lose their shirts. Except for Nancy Grace. From her I’ve seen and heard enough.

12 responses to “HLN and Jodi Arias: Stirring up the public’s taste for blood”

You are exactly right. Jodi needs help & NOT the kind that HLN is promoting. I think they all should be fired!! They tried this girl in the media & then pushed it down peoples throats that she was guilty months & months ago & very much helped to instill all of this hatred across the country that people have of her!!!

Even if travis alexander was as u say “a pussy hound” did he deserve to die? Dude, have u seen the autopsy pics? A huge part of the country find J A to b a vile, soleless, murderer, r they all wrong? Even if he did take advantage of her insecurities, even if he cheated, even if he was just an ass, theres always that little thing called “free will” she had it, she used it, and regularly did what she wanted. She didnt have to stay with him, and she mist certainly didnt have to kill the guy, most wd say torture, as far ss HLN, y not just turn the channel if u dont like it?

I agree that Travis Alexander didn’t deserve to die. He did, however, deserve to get a good swift kick in the balls. Personally, I don’t care what a huge part of the country thinks. A huge part of the country (47% heh-heh) voted for Romney, and I certainly don’t give a hummingbird’s shit what THEY think either.

I believe that Jodi Arias was and is mentally ill. She’s got Dissociative Personality Disorder, she’s Bipolar, and she’s got big-time Codependency, in addition to low feelings of self-worth and a resultant narcissistic streak to compensate for same. She herself says she’s “hypersexual,” which is the wrong term. She’s a serial monogamist, always searching for and attaching to Mr. Right. But as soon as she finds a Mr. More Right, she splits up and flits to the new flower in search of fresh honey. Repeatedly. But Jodi Ann Arias ALSO does not deserve to die.

You stipulate that Travis took advantage of her insecurities. Do you not consider that abusive, predatory behavior, or is that gentlemanly, respectful of a woman’s personal boundaries? Hmm? Ask any social worker or psychologist what kind of behavior that is. Go ahead – call a hotline, any hotline.

Due to her untreated, obviously severe, mental illness (about which many of her friends expressed serious concern to her parents, but of course they did zippo), Jodi HAD no “free will” — that part was trapped in the cage of her own mind. As for the rest of what’s in there, she’s a talented artist, a good photographer, and she’s well-spoken; she is obviously intelligent.

Finally, your statement that his killing was “torture,” you disrespect all POWs when you call less than a minute of pain torture. From camera drop to bloody body-dragging picture was precisely 62 seconds. Less time than it takes to zap a cup of coffee. If you don’t think they both SNAPPED spontaneously, how else can you explain someone who’s not on meth or crack doing all that damage in under a minute?

Wow Mr. Levine you are really good, I so agree with your reply to Cindy. Keep up the good work, somebody has to or a young woman who needs help is going to die by the hand of a media pushed enraged public!

May I call you Warren? I have only glanced through your article so far, but feel compelled to applaud you lest I get distracted again! You obviously get it!! Distracted by what you might say? By my own fight, lonely sometimes and distressing, to pursue truth, justice, and fairness for both Jodi Arias and Travis Alexander…Please visit my blog and facebook pages. Thank you!

Thanks, Warren! I just got slapped on the wrist by facebook with a 12 hour suspension from posting as “Inconvenient Truths TV”, but I have other…..ways…:) Yet again, it was for a “violation of FB rules” for posting a graphic which included CASH and Sky Hughes heads attached to Ninja bodies….This time, however, I had juxtaposed the Hughes alongside an “art depiction” of Alyce LaViolette laying in a blood mess having apparently been stabbed to death by Jodi, which by the way was not removed, as least from any reporting efforts I made. Go figure. P.S. I’m not generally a conspiracy theorist, not do I have any connection to Jodi or her family prior to this trial, nor am I receiving one thin dime for any of my efforts!! That alone probably qualifies me for some kind of disorder, or at least a small government check, wouldn’t you think?:)

Well, Cindy, I have a masters in social work and I think you missed the point of the original statements. Sure “we” can be focused on Jodi because of the sensationalized media biased coverage by HLN one only has to take a step back and see how HLN rating grabbing tactics has turned the followers of the world into a frenzied mob! There is no one on their shows who isn’t based….throwing out mental ill diagnosis left and right when they have no training in testing and therapy. It’s the mob mentality and HLN is playing it for all their might as the viewership spikes and thus the anchors’ salaries. Every single anchor and field reporter has fueled the fire of hate, and their band of mice are following them like the pied piper!
This is why it is important to not turn off the channel! It is why it is important to speak out! Read the Reverend Martin Niemoiller’s famous quote, “First they came for the Jews” !!! The Arias sensation has frenzied mob mentality when for example they are encouraged by Travis’s sister, Taneshia, who started a petition to send to all of Alyce LaViolette’s speaking engagements threatening them ( bullying them) of dire consequences if they let her speak. This is a woman who devoted over 30 years of her life working to help women and men of domestic violence. But they didn’t stop there…they asked for the mob to go to websites where Ms. LaViolette’s books are sold and told don’t buy the book, but go in and give it terrible reviews. I repeat, don’t buy the book…just give it horrible reviews !!! As a result, her book sales have plummeted! This type of reaction is the most vile and vindictive behavior that HLN followers have no issue with. Well, I do! In fact, Ms. LaViollete relied on facts that weren’t allowed into the trial by the judge such as Travis had a criminal record for battery! It’s true! The judge wouldn’t allow the emails that the “Hughes” sent to Travis where they were very upset at him and his pattern of abusing women because she deemed them hearsay! So then the prosecutor could say that there was no proof that Travis was ever abusive….”we only have her word and she’s a proven liar!” Do you remember Jennifer Willmott asking questions about what was in the “Hughes” emails, but that the actual documents were not placed into evidence?! Search hard enough and you will find these documents! HLN Knows they exist, but hey…Big ratings not the TRUTH is their End Game….and how many sheep have followed wherever they were lead to increase ratings. The more ammunition you give, whether true or not, the more people tune in! Whatever channel is there that has this cast of charicatures who are so invested in the ratings they will only show one side of the story! Surely your Mom always taught u that there are 2 sides to a story?! “First they came for the Jews but I was not Jewish so I said nothing……”!
That, Cindy, was the point being made by the originator of this thread!

Got to say you mob mentality is a bunch of bullshit. If this were true, why did the jury get swayed to put her to death? Why did casey anthony get set free? Why dod oj not get found guilty. The truth is yes being televised sensationalizes these horrific trials. But also it makes these rather unknown everyday people famous. With jodi art and t shirts, to who want casey anthony porn? Its a double edged sword. Most people with brains dont base there opinions on what Nancy says. Everyone knows there not psychologists. But the facts are there, and jodi is a crazy psycho. The fog and dissociative bull crap is gar gin to try to get her off. The mob bullcrap has no effect on the jurors. Nor does nancy have an effect. People can use there own senses to figure out who jodi is. As well as her jodi time on camera after the verdict, as well as dateline and numerous other jodi tv premiers.

Towards the end of your comment, you use the letters “gar gin.” I’ve emboldened what seems to be the result of a bad Scrabble hand so you can explain what on Earth you’re trying to say. Please clarify in TEN WORDS or less. Oh, and I agree with you about the brainless nature of Nancy Grace’s followers. That’s why she makes like $8.5 million a year: to be the female equivalent of Rush Limbaugh in a different context.

Haha you bash tv reporters, but poor laviolettes book sales are failing. Poor lady she deserves millions. For sticking up for jodi. Sticking up for abused men and woman is different then sticking up for jodi. By the way its 20th century!!!! Everythings sensationalized. So who cares its on every channel. If you have a job and life. Watching it on tv is the only thing most people can do. Like the jurors no matter what anyone says, tv or not. People come to there own conclusions. Its not hard to see and hear jodi to realize. Not only is she guilty, shes smart ,manipulative and psychotic. She wants death in her own words. So i say give her what she wants!!! If its pide piper why is she blowing her own flute. You think everyones brainless zombies? Oh nancy says jodis this or that. Oh i have to think that deeeeeerrrrr.

1. Your first sentence is irrational. TV reporters have nothing to do with LaViolette’s book sales. Please read your replies to yourself, preferably out loud, before pressing [Send]. Also, read Patty’s comment above, specifically where she says, “The Arias sensation has frenzied mob mentality when for example they are encouraged by Travis’s sister, Tanesha, who started a petition to send to all of Alyce LaViolette’s speaking engagements threatening them ( bullying them) with dire consequences if they let her speak.”

2. Rod Serling’s voice: “We re in the twenty-first century, the year: 2013.” And it will continue, God willing, to be the 21st century for another 87 years, give or take a few months. The Hebrew year is 5773. The Hijri (Muslim) year is 1434. I think you’re confused.

3. Jurors are NOT allowed to watch news of the trial on which they’re serving. That’s the “admonition” the idiot judge was referring to every time they left the courtroom. No media, no talking about it, nothing. (Although I’m not sure if that includes clergy or psychotherapists.) The public may watch TV and access all media that is not sealed by said moron judge.

4. Your last sentence looks like a text message intended for someone else.